OUTdrive

Baseball may be America's Pastime, but for play-by-play announcer Bill Brown, the sport spans a lifetime. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Bill about the journey from his childhood as a baseball fan in rural Missouri, all the way to the MLB broadcast booth. Bill is a semi-retired sportscaster who spent 30 years as a play-by-play announcer for the Houston Astros from 1987 to 2016. As...

During season one of OUTdrive, we had Mark Thomas on the show to discuss crisis communications and audience segmentation. The episode aired during the early stages of the COVID pandemic, and the discussion was very insightful and well-received by audience members. For this episode, we invited Mark back on the show to discuss how he sees things changing as COVID evolves.  At the time of the previou...

OUTdrive has been airing each week for over a year now with this being the 61st episode. In every episode, I ask guests to share something they think others would find interesting or beneficial, and their responses are always insightful. In this episode, I chose to revisit each episode and share the quotes through a solocast. One of my favorite parts of OUTdrive is meeting with different individua...

Rural American roots run deep, even when an individual no longer lives and works here. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with John Ashford, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group L.C. The Hawthorne Group is an international public affairs and public relations firm that John co-founded in 1992. John grew up in Marshall, Missouri and was enamored with politics at a young age. He first...

Agriculture is the backbone of rural America, and there is a significant amount of science and technology at work behind the scenes. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with Erin Ogle about her work in the agriculture and environmental fields and her position as the Watershed Project Coordinator for Taylor County, Iowa SWCD. Erin is passionate about conservation and joined the Taylor County SWCD...

The work ethic of rural Americans stretches beyond fields and businesses into art galleries and museums across the country. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff Callis visits with professional artist Doug Freed on his impact on the art culture in the Midwest. Doug is a profound artist, the former head of the State Fair Community College art department and founding director of the Daum Museum of Cont...

Nature is part of what makes rural Missouri so special, and few people know that as well as Tabitha Schmidt, this week's guest on OUTdrive. As Executive Director and President of Powell Gardens, Tabitha gets to help showcase the beauty of nature year-round. With a deep appreciation and passion for art and the outdoors, Tabitha loves sharing the history and experience of Powell Gardens with others....

Age range, gender, income - these are the demographics marketers have built their business on for years. However, those traditional categories ignore the most important part of the buying process: the complexity of human behavior and decision making. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Susan Baier for an in-depth look into using quantitative attitudinal audience segmentation research to...

In the last few years, communications professionals are riding the new wave of podcasts across audio streaming services. With over 2 million shows to choose from, there is a podcast for anyone and everyone, including rural Americans. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff Callis chats with Sarah Arnett, a Marketing Coordinator at Callis. Sarah is one of the key team members behind the podcast, and she...

Trade shows and events are coming back, but they look a little different than they have in the past. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with Scott Hanna about trade shows after COVID-19 and industry trends in 2021. Scott is the Vice President of Sales for Skyline E3 and E3 interactive. Together, these companies provide unforgettable experiences through exhibits, events and environments. Scott jo...

The communications industry is constantly changing, and educators are adapting curriculum to meet the needs of employers. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with Dr. Joe Moore about educating today's communications professionals. Joe is a professor of digital media production at the University of Central Missouri (UCM), and he is passionate about teaching future generations. Joe worked in colleg...

Clean energy sources are increasingly popular in today's society, and the mobile power industry is an area in which many are working to improve. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Chuck Justus, founder of Evergreen Mobile Power and Green2Go Rental Power, about innovation in the mobile power industry and strategically filling gaps in the marketplace. Chuck has always been interested in...

Becoming a successful sales professional is a challenge that requires extensive knowledge, a unique skill set and a drive to succeed. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with Greg Martinelli about the psychology of sales and learning how to close the deal. Greg has spent the last 28 years as a leader in agricultural sales and is the founder of Ag Sales Professionals. Working out in the field...

Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with audiences in today's digital world. It enables companies to connect with viewers through powerful storytelling. In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff visits with T.J. Kilian about effective video marketing. T.J. is the founder, president and executive producer of KJO Media, a full service video production company. T.J. discovered his p...

Whether it was helping on the farm or going to the county fair, Mark Wolfe grew up enjoying the rural way of life. His early years prepared him for his current role as Director of the Missouri State Fair, where he strategically leads the efforts behind the greatest ten days of Missouri summer. Growing up on a farm, Mark loved agriculture but knew he wanted to take a different career path. He earne...

Brad Pollitt is a long-time rural Missourian who represents his neighbors and community as a Missouri State Representative for District 52, which includes parts of Johnson and Pettis counties. A rural American himself, Brad understands the needs of the communities and individuals he represents and leads with their best interests in mind. Growing up in a small community, Brad was very involved in s...

Jeff Moore grew up on his family farm and has been in the agricultural industry his entire life. His passion and experiences enable him to excel in his role as strategic sales director for Farm Progress, one of America's most trusted sources for agricultural news and information. Jeff learned many life lessons on the farm and has developed a lifelong passion for agriculture along the way. While in...

Shawn Wozniak is an outdoor enthusiast that loves the rural lifestyle. His passions make him a great fit for his role of MEC Outdoors manager at Mayville Engineering Company. Known for its exceptional quality and service, MEC Outdoors is a leading manufacturer of shotshell reloaders, clay target machines, metallic reloaders and accessory products. Shawn grew up in Wisconsin and his love for the ou...

Steven Burger is the president and third-generation owner of the Burger family to operate Burgers' Smokehouse, a company that has withstood the test of time because of its family values, hard work and innovation. In 1927, Steven's grandfather began curing country hams using his mother's proven recipe from Germany. The business steadily grew over the years, and their ham house was built in the 1950...

In this episode of OUTdrive, Cliff discusses effectively managing the sales funnel and strategic planning in a quick solocast. With the business environment ever changing, you never know what can happen, meaning it's more important than ever to remain open to new ideas and plan for the future. Listen in as Cliff shares insights into recognizing and effectively managing opportunities, nurturing rel...

Michael Sweeney is passionate about state and local history and the power it has to establish common bonds and bring folks together. He shares this passion as the Missouri State Bicentennial Coordinator for The State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO). The Missouri Bicentennial provides an occasion for celebrating and exploring the rich history and culture of Missouri while enjoying it in the...

Thomas MacAulay is an experienced marketing professional who is passionate about continuous growth to deliver optimal results for his organization and his industry. As Executive Director and CEO of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), Thomas is committed to fostering and excelling the outdoor media space through a variety of creative and effective strategies. Thomas grew up in Sacram...

Dr. Andrew McCrea is the creator of the daily radio program "The American Countryside," which is heard on over 100 radio stations and satellite nationwide. Andrew's TV broadcasts are seen on weekends on RFD-TV. "The American Countryside" has won five Oscars for rural and agricultural broadcasting. Andrew is also the owner of McCrea Farms, keynote speaker for leadership training and author of five...

Chris Pyle is a hardworking and down-to-earth guy that has many interests in life, including educating students that have special needs, the rodeo industry and ranching. Chris is an assistant superintendent for the Sedalia, Missouri 200 school district, as well as a rodeo announcer and rancher. No matter how busy he may be, he makes a difference in the lives of others and remains humble every step...

Caroline has been a farm girl her entire life and has made it her life's passion to share her experiences with others. She is the founder of The Farm Story, which educates others about the agriculture industry through podcasts, social media, blog and other content. She is committed to combating misinformation and providing an inside look at what life on the farm truly looks like. Caroline was rais...